Matt Forte: Viable Fantasy Starters If Bears' RB Is Not an Option in Week 4

With the news that Matt Forte could be out for at least the Chicago Bears’ Week 4 matchup against the Dallas Cowboys on Monday Night Football, fantasy players everywhere are scrambling for a backup option that can fill that void.

NFL Insider for CBS Jason La Canfora is reporting about Forte’s status going forward:

"

Ryan Grant working out for the Bears today. Matt Forte likely to be out at least through this week

— Jason La Canfora (@JasonLaCanfora) September 25, 2012"

The Bears will get by without Forte, and so will the fantasy owners that took an early pick on the oft-injured Chicago star. If you can pick up any of these three players, consider yourself lucky and ride their hot hand!

Michael Bush, Chicago Bears

If you are the owner of Matt Forte in your fantasy league, you should have handcuffed the top pick with Michael Bush in the waning rounds of your draft. If you didn’t, now you’ve learned your lesson.

Bush likely won’t be available on waivers, but you may be able to trade low for the running back after a dismal 55 yards on 18 carries against the St. Louis Rams. With that said, his three touchdowns in three games won’t let the price drop too low.

Chicago’s schedule only gets tougher as the season progresses, so don’t buy if the price on Bush is too high. While he will likely vulture TDs all season, the starting job is still Forte’s when he returns.

Mikel Leshoure, Detroit Lions

The Detroit Lions showed their allegiance to true rookie running back Mikel Leshoure in his first regular season game by handing the ball off 26 times and throwing another four passes his way.

That’s a heavy workload for a player that never saw NFL action before, but it is that kind of team confidence that Forte owners are looking for in a waiver-wire pickup.

With at least one more week without the Bears running back in the lineup, picking up Leshoure from the waiver wire and starting him this week is a completely viable option.

If Matthew Stafford's injury inhibits him at all, Leshoure could see huge fantasy numbers.

Andre Brown, New York Giants

While there is no question that Ahmad Bradshaw will get the starting job back when he returns healthy—something that could happen as early as this week—Andre Brown has earned himself a big chunk of the carries each week for the New York Giants.

Brown ran the ball 33 times over the last two games for 184 yards and three touchdowns, making him a viable starter in any format or style fantasy league.

Even if Bradshaw returns in Week 4, Brown’s goal-line success will have him vulturing touchdowns from the incumbent starter. That will go along with the 13-16 carries for 75-plus yards the young back accumulates against Philadelphia Sunday night to make for a very nice fantasy game.

Check back for more on the National Football League as it comes, and don’t miss Bleacher Report’s NFL page to get your fill of all things football.

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